This is how conversations work, or rather how one conversation played out on twitter this morning. Tricky subject, no right answer, constructive discussion.* But perhaps most important of all, those issues are being discussed in public for a government proof of concept which hasn’t yet even been launched. It is that which is more radical and, for the long term, more valuable than the issue at hand.
Update 8 May: And then 24 hours later, the same conversation restarted. The very things which make twitter a powerful and immediate communication channel also make it hard to see what has gone before and – I have even more forcibly realised – hard to transcribe and preserve. A few more tweets added below.
Reading @memespring's great, honest post on accessibility of @alphagov: http://helpful.im/lNFUSj. Spot on.
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 6, 2011
@Baskers @lesteph @memespring I've massively mixed feelings on this – asked someone at @alphagov about it recently actually
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@Baskers @lesteph @memespring it's a point of principle as affects so many whereas if treated as a 'nice 2 have' will always remain marginal
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@Baskers @lesteph @memespring I'm waiting for the best developers to make a stand for v clever ways to make web designed for all as standard
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell too many would try and box-tick in that situation. That, and on IE6, is a mark of team's thoughtfulness and courage
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 7, 2011
Mixed feelings on accessibility and @alphagov post http://helpful.im/lNFUSj /cc @peskypeople @enabledby via @lesteph @memespring #disability
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@lesteph assuming that none of the clients in round one have that need right? Your point on ie6 says it all – not the same thing
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/memespring/statuses/66451678064418816
@dominiccampbell Don't think team saying it's just add-on. Too many in gov believe making things accessible is just a tick in box
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell and to be fair, it's accessible in whole new ways (content, UI, orientation cues) often overlooked.
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 7, 2011
@lesteph they have/had the chance to change that forever and show smart ways round it. We're talking a huge minority client grp here.
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/memespring/statuses/66814584442466304
@dominiccampbell I think skipping IE6 is courageous given primarily internal audience for alpha. Shows willingness to think more deeply.
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell Srsly, it's an early alpha. It's not a Directgov replacement for a while (years?) yet. Team know can't go into prod as-is.
— Steph Gray (@lesteph) May 7, 2011
@lesteph I mostly agree on ie6 although think you're overstating courage vs pragmatism
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell am interested in what call you would have made wrt @alphagov accessibility.
— Tom Loosemore (@tomskitomski) May 7, 2011
@tomskitomski @alphagov trust me I'm not a technical expert on accessibility but I know some amazing ppl who are and hope we can bring in?
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell @memespring we're not short of accessibility experts. We were short of time & wanted maximise core product iteration
— Tom Loosemore (@tomskitomski) May 7, 2011
@tomskitomski @memespring @nicepaul I understand, just hoping for a world that comes from a 'design for all' point of principle from start
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@dominiccampbell still interested if u wld have insisted @alphgov fully accessible at launch. I made that call – am open to being wrong
— Tom Loosemore (@tomskitomski) May 7, 2011
@tomskitomski I think I would but not along lines of standard govt accessibility but broke the mold.Mind timescales v restrictive as u say!
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
@tomskitomski one day hopefully all tech will make it impossible to build in accessibly as should be integral. Voice stuff sounds cool mind.
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 7, 2011
* It is the nature of twitter discussions that there was more to it than this, but from what I could see, this was the core thread of the conversation.
Update: The following day…
Hmm. I appreciate points about agility and speed, but not keen on mindset towards accessibility here: http://bit.ly/mIj58U
— Rich Watts (@rich_w) May 8, 2011
I know accessibility is hard, I do. And I know it shouldn't be box ticking. But accessibility is something for e'one, not just disabled ppl.
— Rich Watts (@rich_w) May 8, 2011
@rich_w and 'accessibility is for everyone' is the first paragraph of their post. Sure #alphagov understand that – they're releasing early.
— Harry Harrold (@harryharrold) May 8, 2011
@harryharrold … I appreciate the points they make. It's just my preference would be to have accessibility there from the start :)
— Rich Watts (@rich_w) May 8, 2011
@rich_w uh oh you're in the conversation I was in this time yesterday http://pubstr.at/k0qYiQ
— Dominic Campbell (@dominiccampbell) May 8, 2011
@dominiccampbell oh yes, so I am. Very similar thoughts to you, so will rt and not repeat!
— Rich Watts (@rich_w) May 8, 2011
I'm v supportive of #alphagov. As @pubstrat etc say, is encouraging that debate around accessibility in this context is even happening.
— Rich Watts (@rich_w) May 8, 2011
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